Tommy Docherty column

WHAT a turn up for the books. No Real Madrid in the Champions' League final. Instead it is the team Manchester United would have knocked out had this been the old European Cup who could lift the trophy.

No Real Madrid in the Champions' League final. Instead it is the team Manchester United would have knocked out had this been the old European Cup who could lift the trophy.

It was a big disappointment for me when Madrid failed to get through, but it must be an even bigger letdown for UEFA because once again it shows a major flaw in the make-up of what is supposed to be the game's top club competition.

We have had more than 10 years of Champions' League football but I am one of those who would advocate a return to the old knock-out system.

For me, it should also be a champions only competition, but we all know that will never happen again.

Money talks and when it comes to the Champions' League there is an awful lot to be said by the big clubs and no way an FA Cup style draw, and a `lose and you're out' format, would be re-introduced because it would not generate enough cash.

So what can the organisers do? I suppose the perfect solution would be to have a European League of 18 clubs, each playing one another home and away, but that would never get the go-ahead because of domestic commitments.

Change

An alternative is to produce a format which prevents clubs coming up against a side they met in a previous round. How you would do that I have no idea, but it would mean just one team going through from each group in the early stages.

While I am on about rules, I would also do away with the idea of letting the sides which are knocked out in the early stages of the Champions' League go into the UEFA Cup.

Back to the final where Juventus play AC Milan, and I am sure it will be a fantastic night - I like Italian food too much to suggest anything else - but the United players and Sir Alex, must feel a bit cheesed off.

The side which knocked them out has been eliminated by one they beat convincingly and the only conclusion I can come up with is the Madrid performance against United was a one-off.

They certainly struggled in the early part of the competition but what a pity they peaked when they played the Reds.

The Italians deserved their win on Wednesday and you have to feel sorry for Pavel Nedved who scored the winner but will miss the final because of suspension.

Now he knows how Roy Keane felt in 1999.

I suppose the sight of Juventus being handed the trophy - they are sure to win it now - will be hard for many United fans to take especially as the final is played in Manchester.

I said the Old Lady could come back to haunt them on their own ground and it has happened.